The duties and powers of a special police officer are laid out in the Special Policeman and Security Guards Ordinance of the City of Chicago. ("SPSGO") sec. 4-340 Chicago City Code (1993). This ordinance requires that a special police officer must be appointed and licensed by the city, sec. 4-340-020, and that the superintendent of police "shall cause an investigation to be made of the character of the applicant." sec. 4- 340-040. The superintendent must keep a list of all persons appointed special officers. sec. 4- 340-060. The SPSGO also requires that all officers wear a "suitable badge . . . issued to him by the superintendent of police ....Said badge shall be worn by the special policeman on the outside of his outer coat while engaged in the performance of police duty." sec. 4-340-080. Finally, the regulation requires special officers to:
conform to and be subject to all rules and regulations governing police officers of the city, and to such additional rules and regulations as the superintendent of police may make . . . [they] shall possess the powers of the regular police patrol at the places for which they are respectively appointed or in the line of duty for which they are engaged. Special policemen shall report in person to the superintendent of police at such times and places as may be required by him./ sec. 4-340-100.

Chicago Special Police was created for security guards at fixed locations, although if a client has enough "pull" it can be extended to a bigger area (Univ. of Chicago Police and NW Univ. Chicago Campus worked under this for years until private universities got peace officer status). The badges issued were a large shield with the "y" in the middle representing the Chicago River branches (although at U of C officers were never issued this, just the police star). Under this, carrying a gun while not working, or attempting to make an arrest while not working, is not permitted. Typically, a Special Policeman is a Security Officer who holds an IDPR blue card and tan card, the latter being the firearm carry card, which does allow transport to and from a location. Some Special Police Officers are IDPR regulated Private Detectives, who are allowed statewide CCW round the clock. If they are assigned to protective detail in Chicago, their Special Police authority is not tied to a specific location or time of day. Some city employees are Special Police Officers, and some city contractors are, although being a Special Police Officer is not in itself city employment. A typical example would be some of the K9 security contractors assigned to CTA.